Ai Kora 84

Once again, this really should have been put up by me sooner, but timing and just not really liking this tale has delayed it quite a bit. Luckily, I'll be finished with pt. 2 soon. So without further ado:

Parts 84: Shibusawa Case File (Beginning)
(TN: The title of this two-part story is in reference to “Kindaichi Case File” [Japanese title: Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo], a long running detective series found in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine)

61.
Umeka: Waa~~~! This is the first time I’ve seen the mountains so close--!!
Hachibe: Aa—h…this is our valuable Winter Vacation, so why do we have to do an Art Club activity…
Shibusawa: Well well, aren’t you acting like a kid, Maeda-kun!
Shibusawa: The event that’s being done at the place we’re going to this time is an event said to be miraculous in this world! Don’t you think there’s value seeing it? Hm—mm…
Hachibe: Uh, I shouldn’t question it being that it’s expected to be a clear day today, but…
Shibusawa: Well, it’s here, we’re here!

62.
Hachibe: WH…WHAT IS THIS REALLY SUSPICIOUS MANSION…
Shibusawa: It’s a western home built by a Meiji-era noble!
Umeka: Wow~~~!
Umeka: It’s so cool, I’m getting excited!!
Shibusawa: Yes…of course, of course…
Hachibe: Umeka-chan, you’ve been completely poisoned by Shibusawa…

63.
Voice: --Ah!! Perhaps you’re Shibusawa-kun?
Ramon: Well well, it’s been a while! I’m happy that you came!!
Caption: Doll-Making Couple: RAMON MITSUKA / SHIZUKA MITSUKA
Shibusawa: Well we haven’t spoken in a while!!
Hachibe: ………
Ramon: Did you contact that Aburazaka?
Shibusawa: No, I don’t know where he is at all…I’m sorry…
Ramon: Well, too bad…well, he was that kind of person since long ago, so nothing we could do…
Shizuka: Let’s go inside so we can talk while we’re here!
Shibusawa: Ye…yes!
Hachibe: Um…hey, who are they? Those two…
Shibusawa: Oh, they’re older members of our Art Club…He’s a doll maker who makes artistic jointed dolls, Ramon Mitsuka!
Shibusawa: His wife whom he married two years ago is a doll maker too; currently they’ve come from abroad to be the center of this activity!
Shizuka: Well, come in!

64.
Umeka: Uwa—what a really gorgeous party…
Hachibe: I…I feel we’re really, truly out of place…
Ramon: Wh—at, you’re fine, you’re fine!
Ramon: No one cares about how you look, no one cares! It’s because here are all hobbyists, they don’t care how you participate!
Announcer: Fine guests who have come to this home, we’re very sorry for the long wait! Here is the Main Event of this party, the debut of Hans Bergmann’s “The Four Margarette Sisters”!!
Announcer: Please turn to the stage!!
Hachibe: The Four Margarette Sisters?

65.
Audience: Aah—
Old Man: So the complete four sisters are magnificent…
Bald Man: Well this is the first time they’re all gathered……
Hachibe: Do…Dolls!?
Shibusawa: Yes!
Shibusawa: These are “The Four Margarette Sisters” by Hans Bergmann, a doll maker who worked in Germany at the start of the 20th century……These dolls are legendary among doll-lovers!

66.
Shibusawa: In brief, this party is the first time each one has been brought together by Japanese lovers of...
Hachibe: WE’RE GOING HOME!!
Shibusawa: HO…HOLD ON A MOMENT, MAEDA-KUN!!
Hachibe: I LOVE PARTS, SO I HAVE NOT ONE BIT OF INTEREST IN DO…
Shibusawa: FINE THEN, LOOK CLOSER AT THE DOLLS!!
Hachibe: Chi…really…how do these sad dolls…
Hachibe: OOOOOH!?
Hachibe: I’M NOT CONFUSED, THESE ARE SUNNY-CHAN STYLE LEGS!! IS THIS MISS DANVER’S HANDS!? AND EVEN THE BUST AND WAIST!!
Shibusawa: So then you’ve realized it, Maeda-kun…
Shibusawa: Bergmann had quite similar tastes to our own…that’s the reason you came here!
Hachibe: SHI…SHIBUWAZA, YOU’RE THAT KIND…

67.
Kunikida: H—mm, so compared to the others…my Margarette is the most beautiful…it’s just that this is the most expensive piece in my collection!!
Caption: Art Critic: SANPO KUNIKIDA
Ryouko: This isn’t inexcusable, though you speak with an attitude of beauty, my Margarette is more beautiful than any of them!
Caption: Children’s Story Writer: RYOUKO YAMAKI
Shinichi: Well cause mine is the highest for price, my Margarette is higher than the typical high price!
Caption: Young Businessman: SHINICHI HORIBE
Kunikida: Hmph! Well you’re an upstart bumpkin…do those like you understand art!
Ryouko: Of…of course!
Shinichi: Fufu…no, I actually do!
Kunikida: What!?
Shinichi: It’s because I’m only thinking of my fortune…a work of art is such a thing!
Kunikida & Ryouko: ………
Umeka: Wh…what are they? The scene with those people over there is getting suspicious…
Shibusawa: Well it’s because there’s so few of these dolls, one in over ten million…you have to stretch out your will but…
Shibusawa: The wonder of dolls really can’t be understood by whatever they cost!! Right, Mitsuya-sa…

68.
Ramon: HMPH, THEY DON’T GET THESE DOLLS AT ALL!! THE BEST IS MY MARGARETTE!!
Shibusawa: This is a problem…the dolls that possess Margarette’s parts have finally gathered in one place…
Hachibe: Huh? The dolls that possess Margarette’s parts?
Shibusawa: Yes! They are said to be four sisters, but actually the Margarette Doll made by Bergmann is one doll!
Hachibe: One doll!?
Umeka: But there’s four of them?
Shibusawa: Margarette was Bergmann’s first marriage partner, he lost her when they were young…his sadness not healed, Bergmann made a doll in the woman’s model…that was the original Margarette Doll…

69.
Shibusawa: However, every time he saw this doll with the height of remaining perfection, Bergmann became sad; the brooding Bergmann finally ended up selling it…
Shibusawa: Afterwards, the doll moved from owner to owner, becoming missing but…some many years later, they appeared once again in the world, having become four!
Shibusawa: Why someone would make it four is unknown even today…
Shibusawa: Well there are various theories…It’s been said that it was dismantled by his pupils and due to their own artistic improvements, they created other parts to balance the parts they obtained to complete a body, but they’re not really sure of that…
Umeka: These dolls have that story!
Hachibe: Really, those pupils did too much!
Shibusawa: Well they did gain Bergmann’s technique…
Hachibe: BUT IF THEY’RE GATHERED LIKE THIS, WE CAN TAKE THEM APART AND WE CAN SEE IT’S ORIGINAL FORM…
Shibusawa: We…well, it’s come that they’re asking for the immense repair costs from the owners but…

70.
Hachibe: WH…WHAT? A SUDDEN OUTAGE?
Voice: Fu…Fufufufu…
Hachibe: !?
Hachibe: Wh...what is that gramps…
Shibusawa: Th…that’s…
Shibusawa: --HANS…BERGMANN!?

71.
Shibusawa: N…no, that’s stupid! Bergmann should have died already fifty years ago!
Hachibe: Huh?
“Bergmann”: --I’VE COME TO SEE YOU……MY DEAR MARGARETTE……
Hachibe: WH…WHAT!?
Shibusawa: AN EXPLOSION!?
Ramon: AAH, TH…THAT’S MY MARGARETE!!
“Bergmann”: FUFUFUFU…

72.
“Bergmann”: I WILL TAKE BACK THOSE REMAINING 3…I WILL!!
Hachibe: A…a**hole!! What is he doing to these lovely parts dolls!!
Hachibe: I ABSOLUTELY WON’T FORGIVE, WHETHER A GHOST OR WHATEVER!! I WILL CAPTURE YOU!!
Shibusawa: HE…HEY!!
Hachibe: No…not here!?
Umeka: BO, BOSS, TH, THIS REALLY MAYBE IS……

73.
Hachibe: Heheh!
Shibusawa: ?
Hachibe: LOVELY PARTS DESTROYER, ANYONE WHO SEES MY EYES WILL NEVER ESCAPE!!
Voice: EVERYONE, QUIET!!
Audience: ………
Hachibe: THE CRIMINAL BEHIND THE MARGARETTE DOLL EXPLOSION INCIDENT, IS AMONG US!!
Hachibe: Yes! That criminal is…
Hachibe: THE PERSON WHO DROPPED THIS SLEEVE BUTTON AT THE SCENE…THEREFORE, WHOEVER DOESN’T HAVE A SLEEVE BUTTON NOW IS THE CRIMINAL!!

74.
Shibusawa: Ma…Maeda-kun, it’s your sleeve…
Hachibe: …N?
Hachibe: WR…WRONG!! WRONG!! IT’S NOT ME!! I HAVE AN ALIBI…I WAS THERE EARLIER!! IN THERE EARLIER!! RIGHT!! RIGHT!! RIGHT!!
Shibusawa: No, we get it, so calm down a bit Maeda-kun…
Shibusawa: Anyway, let’s go back inside once more and investigate that exploded doll…
Shibusawa: There may be some important clue hidden…
Hachibe & Shibusawa: !!

75.
Shibusawa: FI…FIRE EXTINGUISHER!! FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!
Ryouko: NOOOO! MY MARGARETTE ISSSS---!!
Shibusawa: ………
Hachibe: Of…of all the dolls, they’re mean to the dolls with the lovely parts…Who on earth would do that…
Shizuka: HE…HE’S COME TO TAKE THEM BACK…
Shizuka: THE GHOST OF HANS BERGMANN…REALLY HAS COME TO TAKE THEM BACK…

76.
Shinichi: Th…that’s so stupid…no, there’s a possible explanation…
Shinichi: It’s been said that the Margarette Doll was sold by Bergmann himself, but…actually there’s also a theory that it was stolen by the students who wanted to learn Bergmann’s craft…
Shinichi: Bergmann hereafter couldn’t make a doll from the Margarette model…and because of the dolls that are posing as it until now; he became a ghost and mysteriously appears…
Voice: Hmph! Fu fu fu…
Kunikida: I knew it, Horibe…this was your doing!?
Kunikida: IT’S A MEASURE THAT YOU DESTROY THE OTHER THREE DOLLS AND THE VALUE OF YOUR OWN MARGARETTE WILL GO UP!! YOU’RE A MAN WHOSE THOUGHTS ARE ONLY OF MONEY!!
Shinichi: Hmph! You’re a stupid old man…

77.
Shinichi: That doll holds an enormous insurance policy! If I wanted money, I’d profit by destroying it!
Kunikida: WH…WHAT!?
Shinichi: But at least I’m pleased with my Margarette…Therefore, it’s just I’d be worried in it destroyed…
Kunikida: Ku…
Umeka: SO…SO THEN IS THERE A GHOST DOING THIS, BOSS?
Shibusawa: No…
Shibusawa: There’s a scent of gunpowder from the exploded doll, and there’s a scent of burning oil from the guy now…That would be whoever that did this…
Hachibe: I’VE GOT IT!!
Hachibe: A CAKE HAD FALLEN TO THE FLOOR, SO WHOEVER HAS FRESH CREAM SOMEWHERE ON THEIR CLOTHING HAS TO BE THE CRIMIN…
Shibusawa: YOUR BACK, YOUR BACK…
Ramon: Uuuh…My…my Margarette is…
Shizuka: Dear…

78.
Shibusawa: Anyway, this incident is an incident that can’t be forgiven by people who love parts!
Hachibe: …There is no crime in having Ms. Danver’s hands…if I see him…
Shibusawa: !!
Shibusawa: ………
Ryouko: AAH, MY MARGARETTE—
Shibusawa: Of…course, perhaps…
Umeka: What’s wrong? Boss…
Shibusawa: No, I haven’t caught the clear proof yet but…the criminal definitely should be within!
Shibusawa: I WILL TRULY EXPOSE THEM!! IN THE NAME OF FETISHISTS!!
Hachibe: AH, RIGHT HERE IS A SUSPICIOUS SCREW!! (WHAT!!)
Shibusawa: No, you’ve done enough… (That’s from the doll)